“Ex-Bush admin official: Many at Gitmo are innocent.” The Associated Press has this report.

“Irony Board: How many ways can Senate Republicans show intellectual hypocrisy?” Online at Slate, Dahlia Lithwick has a jurisprudence essay that begins, “Let’s stipulate: You hate our nominees, and we hate yours. Our nominees are all godless baby killers and terrorist lovers. Yours are all God-crazed rights suppressors and misogynists. Fine. But isn’t it also the case that when you reverse, rewrite, or undermine every rule and standard you’ve ever laid out for measuring the fitness of a presidential nominee, you become ridiculous–period?”

“Senate confirms Kagan as solicitor general”: The Associated Press has this report.

And Reuters reports that “Senate approves Kagan as top U.S. courtroom lawyer.”

“Perdue joins Texas in voting rights case”: Today’s edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an article that begins, “Gov. Sonny Perdue has joined a Texas case headed for the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that Barack Obama’s electoral performance in Georgia is proof that the state no longer needs the federal scrutiny required by the Voting Rights Act.”

“Court blocks rule allowing guns in national parks”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal judge has blocked a federal rule allowing people to carry concealed, loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges. A decision issued Thursday by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly overturns a rule issued in the waning days of the Bush administration.”

You can access at this link today’s ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

“Lawyer on the Pre-emption Frontlines: Frederick Won Two Supreme Court Cases That May Shape Perception of Court’s 2008 Term.” Lawrence Hurley has this front page article today in The Daily Journal of California.

“Kagan Confirmed as First Female Solicitor General”: This post appears at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

The U.S. Senate voted to confirm by a margin of 61-31.

Sixth Circuit asks Supreme Court of Ohio to decide contours of an Ohio statute prohibiting the use of the internet to exhibit to juveniles (or law enforcement officers pretending to be juveniles) any “material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles”: You can access the order of certification that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued today at this link.

“Ex-senator’s role cited as court orders new trial in ShopRite fall case; Appeals court says bad rulings, Sen. Martin’s influence as jury foreman, require retrial”: The Daily Record of Parsippany, New Jersey has a news update that begins, “Citing multiple bad trial rulings and the improper influence that former state Sen. Robert Martin may have had as jury foreman, a state appeals court panel today ordered a new trial for a woman who was awarded $876,000 for a fall at the Wharton ShopRite in 2002.”

And the “Legal Profession Blog” has a post titled “Lawyer-Juror’s Article Leads To Reversal Of Judgment.”

You can access today’s ruling of the Superior Court of New Jersey’s Appellate Division at this link.

“Nacchio’s surrender date postponed”: The Denver Post has this news update.

And The Associated Press reports that “Nacchio prison term delayed; tests show no cancer.”

Programming note: Later this morning, I’ll be attending an appellate mediation being performed by a senior judge serving on the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania in an appeal where I represent a summer camp located in northeastern Pennsylvania operated by the Bobov Hasidic sect.

Additional posts will appear here this afternoon.

“Health care issue returns to Court”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

“Guantanamo Detainees May Be Released in U.S.” Evan Perez has this article today in The Wall Street Journal.

And today in The New York Times, law professor Noah Feldman has an op-ed entitled “A Prison of Words.”

“Medical marijuana dispensaries will no longer be prosecuted, U.S. attorney general says; The statement by Eric H. Holder Jr. represents a landmark shift from the Bush administration’s zero tolerance toward the use of pot by people with cancer and other serious ailments”: The Los Angeles Times contains this front page article today.

And The New York Times reports today that “Obama Administration to Stop Raids on Medical Marijuana Dispensers.”

“Continued Detention of Marri Is Ordered”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

And The Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina reports today that “Judge rejects bond for al-Marri; Brig prisoner to be transferred to Illinois for trial.”

“Retired Pa. judge wants freedom pending appeal”: The Associated Press has this report.

And in this past Sunday’s edition of The Erie (Pa.) Times-News, Pat Howard had an op-ed entitled “From finances to freedom, greed costs Joyce everything.”

“Corzine can keep Katz e-mails private; Court’s decision ends GOP’s 2-year quest for release of correspondence with union leader”: The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger contains this article today.

And The Philadelphia Inquirer reports today that “Corzine e-mail case is closed; The N.J. Supreme Court denied an effort to force him to release exchanges with his ex, a labor leader.”

“Will Gay Couples’ Marriage Vows Survive California Court Review?” This article appears today in The Wall Street Journal.

“Federal appeals court to hear Madoff jail argument”: The Associated Press has this report.

And Newsday reports today that “Madoff’s lawyers to ask court to release him.”

“Ultrasound requirement revived; A House panel voted to require that women get ultrasounds before abortions”: This article appears today in The Miami Herald.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports today that “New abortion rule gains ground in Tallahassee.”

The Tampa Tribune reports that “Bill On Abortion Ultrasound Requirement Is Back.”

The Palm Beach Post reports that “Proposal would require viewing of ultrasound before abortion.”

And elsewhere, The Indianapolis Star contains an article headlined “Bill would restrict abortion doctors” that begins, “Indiana women could have fewer options to obtain abortions under legislation that would require doctors who perform the procedure to have admitting privileges at a hospital.”